Tell Nicola Sturgeon that we want our freedom back NOW! Sign Petition…
Comment:
Today, 21 May, the First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon told us all, very solemnly, that she had decided to give us back our civil liberties, bit by bit, as she sees fit, when she thinks it’s all in our best interests. No thanks. We are adults. We’ll decide for ourselves if and when we want to stay in our homes, visit our families and friends and we’ll also decide what we want to buy – not just what she deems “essentials” (food and medicines).
We’ve had enough. Martin Blackshaw, one of our bloggers (Athanasius), has organised a petition demanding an early restoration of our personal rights and freedoms, entitled Lift the lockdown, which opens with the following observations:
It has become very evident recently that the First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, has chosen to politicise the Covid-19 virus by refusing to co-operate with the UK government in its efforts to begin lifting restrictions on “lockdown” for at least many more weeks, possibly months. There is also a strange rhetoric emanating from Holyrood about a “new normal” in our lives, rhetoric that should worry all who value freedom and human rights, not to mention the economy. At the time of writing, deaths in Scotland from suspected Covid-19 stand at around 2,200 from a population of around 5.5 million, a figure that can hardly be construed as the plague upon us requiring the severest of measures never before witnessed in the history of our nation. Click here to sign the petition, and please spread it far and wide.
Then share your thoughts – IS the rhetoric emanating from Holyrood about a “new normal” in our lives, sinister? Should it worry us all? Obviously by “worry” we understand – as Catholics – that we are in the constant care of Divine Providence, but in a purely human sense, should we be concerned that we may, like the poor Chinese and citizens of other totalitarian nations, emerge from this unprecedented lockdown without our personal freedoms fully restored? Is that what is mean by the “new normal” – less personal freedom? Fewer civil liberties?
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Comments (90)
Petition signed and circulated.
Before this leaked Bill Gates video link is censored (see link below) please send this to as many people as possible. They might finally wake up as to what is happening!
https://tomiarayomi1.disciplemedia.com/posts/7389?sh=wKeULgxf
FrancescoMarta,
There are 2 comments beneath that video which describe it as a fake. Where did this come from?
Not sure, could be Bill Gates!
Francescomarta
Many thanks for signing and spreading the word. I just hope the numbers keep rising to a figure sufficient enough to make a difference.
Francescomarta,
There is no close-up of Bill Gates in that video and plenty of links to articles claiming it is a fake. Also, there are interviews of him explaining his views on religion – his wife is Catholic (he think! Catholic in name only, in fact) and they are raising their children as Catholics – a religion which he claims to “participate in”. So, all in all, I wouldn’t give any credibility to that video.
Editor
I’ve noticed many comments on Google saying it’s a fake, although it looks real to me. I did manage to find a link on Breitbart Facebook page, they are not influenced by Gates and Co. unlike Google and arguably Snopes.
https://www.facebook.com/Breitbart/posts/10165319008105354
If you click on Facebook logo top right it shows Breitbart
Francescomarta,
The problem with that closing sentence about the closure of the churches is that it was the bishops – not the Government – who wanted the churches closed.
True sadly.
Does it matter if an American citizen signs this? If not, I will.
RCAVictor
I’m not sure that it would matter, it’s a matter of rights that affect every human being on the planet. If the petition accepts zip codes then go for it and many thanks.
Thank you – signed! And well done.
I have a question, and I apologize in advance for my possibly faulty perceptions. During my brief stay in Scotland in 2008, I got the impression that I was in a country full of rather feisty characters (that’s a compliment, in case you don’t recognize it as such!).
Which makes it difficult for me to understand why the vast majority of Scots seem to have rolled over so meekly in the face of bureaucratic socialism, and now outright bureaucratic tyranny, through the promotion of FEAR. That’s all this scam-demic is: intimidation by fear, threats of death by fear.
What am I missing?
RCA Victor,
What you are missing is that alcohol isn’t counted among the essentials which we allowed to purchase when we are pemitted to leave our homes…
http://foodanddrink.scotsman.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/item-10.jpg
Editor,
You mean Scots are only feisty when they’re well lubricated?
RCA Victor,
Not being a drinker, myself, I would have to say “no” but still, there’s no other explanation for my fellow Scots being so compliant through all this crackdown on our civil liberties.
Speaking of tyranny by the promotion of fear, which includes promotion of fear via social media, check this out:
https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2020/05/21/researchers-almost-half-of-accounts-tweeting-about-coronavirus-are-bots/
ATTENTION FOLKS…
There seems to be a problem with the petition at Change.org, so Martin h as re-launched his petition at Citizen-Go with apologies for any inconvenience caused.
Would everyone now sign the petition at the second link here
https://www.citizengo.org/en/179648-lift-lockdown
Thank you.
Signed and forwarded!
Athanasius,
A lurker here but thank you for your wonderful and insightful comments here. I’ve learnt so much from you, RCA Victor and last but not least, Editor who gives much cause for mirth! 😀
Maryw52
That’s very kind, thank you.
Thank you Editor and many thanks Athansius for his articulate composition.
I have signed the latter version and am passing along.
One teensie weensie point.
The beginning of the penultimate paragraph confused me.
Could some scholar on a higher pay grade than I have a look please?
Thanks
Patrick,
Despite being no scholar and on the lowest ever pay grade (!), I have just read the penultimate paragraph and understood it without any problem. Can you explain what confuses you – since you mention the beginning of that paragraph, I wonder if it is the opening words “In fine”… which, I acknowledge, is a term not used much these days, but if it’s that, it only means “in short” or “to sum up”.
If that’s not it, would you elaborate on what it is that you find confusing at the beginning of the penultimate paragraph and I’ll try again …
We aim to please 😀
Oh dearie dearie me!
I have been a doubting Thomas.
I should have known that our marvellous Anathius is nonpareil.
There was I basking in false glory after our learned American Doctor RCAVictor, complimented me on my command of a foreign tongue – English.
Me maxi me culpa.
Patrick,
I don’t understand your reply. You still don’t say what confused you at the beginning of the penultimate paragraph.
Was it “in fine” or was it something else? I’m genuinely interested, in case I’ve missed something. Help!
Yes “in fine” I was not familiar with.
Sorry about the confusion I caused.
Nicola Sturgeon will be hoping there is no end in sight for the coronavirus in the short, or even the long, term, knowing what Alex Salmond has in store for her when it is all over.
Frankier
You’re absolutely right about that. According to various sources close to the SNP Alex Salmond is just waiting to pounce on those who tried to set him up for a fall. Seemingly the fallout will finish the SNP in its present structure. That’s one of the reasons why I think Nicola Sturgeon is hanging on to lockdown for as long as possible.
This woman is one of my favourite commentators – she is outspoken about these continuing restrictions:-
Petition signed! A great initiative.
Of course, Scotland’s bloated public sector – most of whom are currently being paid full wages to sit at home doing nothing (or film themselves dancing en masse in empty hospitals) – will be whispering in Nicola’s ear to keep this going as long as possible.
Gabriel Syme,
You are the first person on this side of The Pond that I’ve seen saying that about people being paid to stay at home, no wonder they want the lockdown to continue! Nobody is actually saying that, but IMHO it’s obviously very true.
I find that most families are self-contained these days – some don’t even keep in touch with siblings or grandparents, never mind cousins and friends. So the lockdown is no big deal for them, as long as the cash keeps flowing. Mum, Dad and kids, living their selfish lives, with a huge tax bill ahead of us all to pay for this extended holiday.
I’ve even heard of people saying they’re enjoying home-schooling so what if they decide to continue after lockdown – now that the Scottish Government is offering free laptops to every home to help with the education of kids at home, that’s a possibility. Even when schools return it will be only part time at school, part-time at home. The sooner this lockdown ends, the better.
I believe that to be the case, definitely. People are quite happy with the lockdown, as they are getting paid for staying at home.
I know people who are genuinely terrified of the virus and think the Government is doing the right thing by extending the lockdown. It never occurs to them to question the stats or the policies. Nanny State knows best. It’s really amazing.
Gabriel, Josephine & Lily
They must be a right lazy lot if they’re enjoying months of idleness and 20% reduction in monthly income. It’s driving me nuts!
Josephine,
Our local Council is a good example, which has just seemingly downed tools for the duration.
They immediately stopped collecting recycling – it is “non essential” apparently. So much for the environment, then! Meanwhile, my garage is bursting at the seams with bags of cardboard, tins, grass cutting etc.
They even shut the dump, so I cant even dispose of the rubbish personally.
The Council claim it is safe to come and empty the black bins (general waste), but its not safe to empty the blue bins (recycling), for example.
It is a nonsense and very clearly opportunism to do as little as possible. They do as little as possible normally, of course, but normally decency obliges them to at least put on a facade of working.
We submitted a technical drawing (2 pages) for the Council to approve – 2 months later, it is still not done. It is just 2 pages. In 2 months, a monkey could have learned English and how to use a PC and had it done by now.
We live next to a teacher, who has largely been out the back sunbathing for weeks on end now. My tax pays teachers wages, yet I am sitting indoors at the computer, 8 hrs a day – working from home – while watching teachers sunbathe.
Don’t get me wrong, I know in some cases it is difficult to transfer job functions to a home setting.
However my patience finally ran out at reports of trade unions already obstructing even tentative proposals to start getting things back to normal. (Bring back Thatcher!).
People have to recognise that everyone must contribute to society returning to normal asap. It is not a time for individuals or organisations to manipulate for their own ends.
Gabriel Syme,
That’s a disgrace about the bins – where I live, all the bins are being emptied as usual. There’s been no break in the service, and we have 4 different bins.
It’s also a disgrace about the teacher sunbathing – no wonder they don’t want to go back to work. I knew the paying people to stay home was a mistake. Who wouldn’t want to stay home, and get paid for doing nothing?!
Laura
I’ve just written to every Councillor and MP in my region after my cat caught a sizeable rat last night. First time in 45 years I’ve seen a rat in my neighbourhood and it’s all because the grass isn’t being cut and a couple of filthy, and I mean truly filthy, neighbours are throwing trash bags into their gardens. That SNP lot really need to be kicked straight out of office, they’re a shower of useless thugs from the lower levels of society.
Gabriel Syme,
There are lazy teachers around, believe me. As in any profession, there are always those who will do the bare minimum, and even less if they can get away with it.
Any teacher worth his/her salt would be using this time to build up resources and programmes of work. To be given an indefinite leave of absence with pay, albeit perhaps not full pay, would be seen as a golden opportunity by conscientious teachers.
The lazy ones, though – well, as Laura says, no wonder they don’t want to go back to work.
I see the Bishops in Minnesota USA, have announced they will now defy continuing restrictions imposed by local authorities.
The local authorities have allowed eg supermarkets to open, as long as the number of shoppers did not exceed 50% capacity.
In contrast they imposed a 10 person limit in Churches, even vast Cathedrals with capacity for thousands.
The Bishops point out the double standard defies reason and instead they will proceed with their own guidance of allowing masses with a cap on numbers at 30% of capacity.
(lets be honest, a 30% full Church would be considered a busy day in most novus ordo Churches).
Anyway, good on these Bishops – would that our simpering lot in Scotland follow suit!
Further to my post above about the Bishops in Minnesota, Archbishop Tartaglia in Glasgow hides behind the Government to justify no action on his part.
He says “as if I could” in response to letters asking him to open the Churches.
https://twitter.com/ArchdiocGlasgow/status/1261979066854445056
What a contrast.
Fortunately someone replied to that tweet, pointing out the hierarchy had rushed to close Churches before the State introduced any sanctions.
As it stands, I am regularly in supermarkets with 100s of people milling about, so the Minnesota observation about double standards applies equally here.
That’s a disgrace – but it’s no surprise that the Archbishop of Glasgow is quite content with closed churches. He didn’t bat an eyelid at the prospect of closing and merges churches so he’s not likely to be too bothered about this ever-extending lockdown.
What I’d like to know is what are the bishops and priests doing all day?
Josephine,
Good questions about how the clergy are filling their time at the present.
Perhaps +Tartaglia’s obvious comfort with the Churches being closed is linked to that question?
Gabriel Syme,
Now, THERE’S a point !
https://aminahumayun.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/joke-about-the-pencil.png
For the interest of our readers and bloggers, I’ve now sent the link to the petition (and this blog) to the Daily Record, in the forlorn hope that they will publicise the petition.
Knowing the role played by the media in terrorising the nation, however, I am not holding my breath.
In the USA, there is still a semblance of democracy evident in the press. Note the headline on the front page of the New York Post a couple of days ago. Our alleged journalists have a lot of catching up up to do – unless they really want to remain State-Propagandists…
https://nypost.com/2020/05/20/end-new-york-citys-lockdown-now/
I can’t see the Daily Record reporting on a petition that wants the lockdown to end – if anybody is “all in this together” it’s the fake news outlets, LOL!
It’s only at 37 signatures right now when I checked, but if it was trying to get some outlandish law introduced there would be thousands up there by now, if not hundreds of thousands! That’s the way the world is right now. It really is the case that everything is upside down.
Petition duly signed. Thank you Athanasius.
Gabriel Syme,
I agree with you in wishing our Bishops here in Scotland would follow suit in following the Bishops of Minnesota, in defying the lockdown.
However, I do wonder that if and when Catholic Churches do re-open – just how many will return to it on a Sunday. Will it be a matter of fewer people attending than there was prior to the lockdown?
Theresa Rose,
I think our Bishops are too keen to “play nice” – they think that kow towing to the Government (or its expectations) represents them being relevant.
I have no doubt that fewer people will attend after this period passes. After all, the Bishops have – loud and clear – broadcast that mass attendance and access to sacraments are not really that important…..
In this article from Kennedy Hall – titled, “Where do we go from here”
https://fatima.org/news-views/where-do-we-go-from-here/
He is saying what many others is saying, that we are living through a communistic takeover and that the world has gone mad.
My thanks to all who have taken the time to sign the petition. I just hope there are still many people in this country with enough sense left to now realise that they’re being taken for a ride and sign, though not holding my breath.
I’ve posted it on Twitter and in the comments of a “Glasgow Herald” report of a Covid-19 spat between the SNP and the Tories. Any opportunity to get a little more press!!
Athanasius,
thank you for your petition. I have signed it and spent this morning going through my alphabet to ensure I did not miss passing it on to all I know.
One point is incorrect, Sweden’s population is 10 million ( don’t let detractors use anything).
Thank you again.
Graeme Taylor
Thank you for signing and sharing, every signature counts. You’re absolutely right about Sweden’s population, I confused Sweden with Finland from a recent article I read. That’s a great pity because the correct population figure would have strengthened the case further. Oh well, I’ll put it down to a senior moment!
Feeling down today and so annoyed.
A young priest in our Diocese was doing great work. He had introduced chant, ad orientem Liturgy, kneeling to receive communion et al. This was done over a number of years, slowly and teaching the people the reason why.
Now he has gone overseas and Bishop Egan has replaced him with an 80 year old lefty.
At his first Mass he said, “I’m used to celebrating Mass facing the people so that’s what we’ll do.” Now the years of hard work have been undone overnight.
This is the problem with the New Church. At one time Mass was Mass. Priests generally stuck to the Missal and rubics. Solemn Mass meant incense and acolytes and the chants were all set out for each Mass.
Nowadays we have two clerical types and its a free for all. Those who celebrate Mass with audience participation, clapping, facing the people, wearing just the basic cheap polyester vestments.
Alternatively, generally younger priests who face the Lord, use Latin, encourage incense and add beauty to the church building.
Unlike the CofE we cannot pick who our next imcumbent will be. Certainly the Bishop does not care about the style of Mass so it’s a bingo game of who will be sent.
For those in Diocesan parishes who are happy to see the reintroduction of traditional practices by your latest parish priest I’d say don’t get too excited.
Here today, gone tomorrow.
Instead I’d encourage you to seek out the FSSP, SSPX, Institute or religious house where things are s little more permanent.
There is a reason to be cheerful though. Younger priests are generally more orthodox and open to the TLM. We just need to wait a generation or two.
For now, be careful who you give money to. Is your Sunday contribution paying a Diocesan lay assistant? A lady hospital chaplain?
Make sure you give to a society that will truly assist the faithful eg warrington shrine appeal.
Secondly get off your backside and seek a proper, permanent Catholic Mass with sound catechesis.
The more we rally together, the more we can achieve. SYNERGY!
I think we’ve all been in a situation where we are the only Catholic traditionalist in a parish. We’re bullied and scoffed at.
Time to move on…with our money!!
Will,
So much for the “wonderful” Bishop Egan…
As for this:
“There is a reason to be cheerful though. Younger priests are generally more orthodox and open to the TLM.
I don’t buy it. They are generally as careerist as the rest, waiting to see what way the episcopal wind is blowing.
Show me a priest who is doing the orthodox/traditional “thing” despite his bishop’s lack of same, and I’ll agree. Until then, I just don’t buy it.
Hi Editor,
Sorry if my comment should have been under the general discussion tab.
I can tell you that I have been speaking to a number of young priests and seminarians and have visited seminaries.
Many young men are joining traditional orders. Those who are going to the Diocese are, as a majority, orthodox in theology and liturgy. A sizeable number are receiving LMS training to celebrate the TLM.
I would give names but this may cause problems for them with their already infuriated Bishops. One for example, who was screamed at by Declan Lang.
Certainly we will have to wait and see
Here’s to hoping
Thanks Will – yes, we’re a tad off topic here, but thank you for not naming names. Any further discussion on this could be taken onto any of the topic threads about the Mass – there are two on the sidebar right now – the one about the Scottish Bishops and the other one about the English bishops. The English thread would probably be best, since you are obviously from Bishop Egan’s neck of the woods. Thanks.
https://catholictruthblog.com/2020/05/15/english-bishops-advisor-convicted-thief-lgbt-activist-played-key-role-in-decision-to-close-churches/
Let’s leave this for the Nicola Sturgeon topic. Thank you.
I have been following events in the USA and most of the states there have opened up or are close to being opened up. There has been no downside, as far as anyone can tell.
One laugh: I watched the young lady who is the press spokesperson there, Kayleigh, and she was quizzed by journalists on the opening of churches/mosques/synagogues, the usual hostile questioning, to make the President look reckless. After explaining a few times and holding up a paper copy of the guidance on this, she was still battered with questions from the journalists, the same old same old questions. Eventually she remarked that she was impressed that she was in a hall full of people who were keen to make sure we got the opening of places of worship right (something like that, I can’t remember her exact words) – LOL! She does that a lot – turns the questions around to show them up for their dishonesty.
I had an email today from a Protestant reader who expresses shock that we are criticising our political leaders. He claims that we are flouting biblical teaching – below is the relevant part of his message:
“[you are in error] by ignoring the Biblical message which states, quite explicitly, that we are not to criticise our leaders (religious, or otherwise).
The Bible gives us stories of many of the leaders of the times. If we read through the books of Daniel, Chronicles, 1 Chronicles, and 2 Chronicles, we learn of such leaders as Cyrus and Nebuchadnezzar. From these examples of God’s dealings with the Jewish nation through the instrumentality of Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus, certain important principles emerge:
1. God uses human rulers as instruments to fulfil His purposes in history, particularly as they relate to His own covenant people.
2. If God’s people are disobedient and rebellious, God subjects them to cruel and evil rulers.
3. If through repentance and prayer God’s people lay claim upon His mercy, He may bring about a change of government in one of two ways: either by removing an evil ruler and replacing him by a good one (like Cyrus); or by changing the heart of a cruel ruler, so as to make him an instrument of mercy rather than of judgment (like Nebuchadnezzar).
These principles, derived from historical examples of the Old Testament, are confirmed by the teaching given to Christians in the New Testament.
In Romans, Paul applied this principle specifically to those who hold office in government:
“Let every soul be subject to higher powers: for there is no power but from God: and those that are, are ordained of God.
Therefore he that resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God. And they that resist, purchase to themselves damnation.
For princes are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good: and thou shalt have praise from the same.
For he is God’s minister to thee, for good. But if thou do that which is evil, fear: for he beareth not the sword in vain. For he is God’s minister: an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil.
Wherefore be subject of necessity, not only for wrath, but also for conscience’ sake.
For therefore also you pay tribute. For they are the ministers of God, serving unto this purpose.”
(Romans 13:1-6)
Paul addressed these words specifically to Christians. He stated that government is established by an act of God. How that government will affect Christians depends upon the attitude and conduct of the Christians. In short, Christians get the kind of government that they deserve. If, as Christians, we find ourselves under a government which is corrupt, evil, inefficient, or cruel and oppressive then how are we to react? God’s Word gives us no liberty to disobey or complain. It does, however, impose upon us an obligation to pray for our government. If we humble ourselves before God and do His will, then He will hear our prayers and will bring about a change in our leaders just like he did for the ancient Israelites.
I did think about sending this over to Donald Trump to quote when the Democrats have another go at impeaching him, but then again, maybe not!
However, it’s always worth considering another point of view – seems that this is a person who is, presumably, accepting the lockdown (and anything else the Scottish Government does) in the belief that it is displeasing to God to do otherwise.
Am I alone in disagreeing with this stance?
Editor
Not all governments are good, so how do we obey the scripture as stated above. Well other parts of scripture lay things out this way. When Peter and John were arrested by the governing authorities according to the early chapters of ‘The Book Of Acts’ and they were told to preach no longer in Jesus’s name, their response was that they could not do that because it was their responsibility to obey God rather than human beings. So traditionally this is the way people interpreted Romans 1 – 7 that we should obey the Government in so far as we can and not disobey God. That we should not be trouble makers for the Government in any kind of unnecessary sense, but when God calls upon us as he does so often in the scriptures to love our neighbours as our selves and the Government for example might say that we should not do that, it is our duty according to the Apostle Peter to obey God rather than human beings We know that St Paul agreed to this attitude as he often found himself in prison because he preached the Gospel and created a stir and got on the wrong side of the authorities. So I think St Paul and Daniel would shake hands with Catholic Truth Scotland, Athanasius’s petition and even Taylor Marshals podcast (link below) in which he warns us about the evil that is pushing us to compulsory vaccinations that will monitor and enslave us to satanic control. Dr Taylor Marshal says in the clip below that we should oppose Bill Gates, WHO and others pushing for ‘certificates of immunity’ and ‘national tracking systems.’ Taylor Marshal says this is Demonic and Satanic and we must resist it.
Editor,
It isn’t surprising that this note was from a Protestant, who has not the benefit of – or willfully rejects – Catholic teaching on this subject. While points 1-3 are certainly correct, Catholics, as we’ve discussed before, are under no obligation to obey laws and rulers who trample on God’s commandments. That is, laws which promulgate injustice, or persecution, or worse. And we are well into the stage where the enforcement of lockdown measures has reached the persecution level.
But this Protestant has also omitted Acts 5:29, where St. Peter says “We ought to obey God, rather than men.” Now, the State, controlled by Communists and their useful idiots, have prevented Catholics from keeping God’s commandments, as expressed through the precepts of the Church, since we were locked out of our churches and barred from the Sacraments for 2 months.
We accepted the punishment, we accepted the Divine Interdict, we pray for an end to this chastisement, but we also make ourselves fully aware of the fact that this “pandemic” is nothing of the sort, it is a scam to create fear, panic and hysteria, a means to create the foundation for tightening the grip of the police state.
Apparently, this Protestant has no problem with living in a police state. Moreover, isn’t it curious that Protestants have never had a problem with criticizing, rebelling and condemning the Catholic Church, yet (according to this individual’s distorted reasoning) we must never criticize our secular leaders! Further proof that, thanks to Luther and his fellow travelers, the State has become god.
RCA Victor,
Well said – your concluding paragraph is especially “on the button”.
The above mentioned correspondent has complained because (and he is correct about this) I hadn’t read his email right to the end. Yip, the above is just an extract folks. So, he is demanding that I make the following correction…
He says that I “missed the part (near the end) where he suggested that we should pray for our leaders, for a “change of heart”. Therefore, it’s patently false that he accepts the lock down or that doing so is pleasing to God.” Ends
His (Protestant) interpretation of the bible regarding criticising our political leaders, is relevant to the current discussion, so worth reflecting on the issue.
My own first thought was about how Our Lord implicitly criticised the political leader of his day when he chastened Pontius Pilate when Pilate pointed out that he had power over Christ at that moment: Our Lord reminded him that he would have no power over Him had it not been given to him by Christ’s Father in Heaven.
In other words, he was clearly spelling out to the Roman Governor, the danger of abusing his power.
It’s patent nonsense to say we may not criticise our leaders, whether religious or secular. As Francescomarta points out, there is ample evidence from Scripure that where there is a choice between good and evil, we must always choose good and if that means criticising secular officials, so be it. When confronted with governments such as the contemporary secular governments in the UK – including the Scottish Government/leader – then given their scandalous legislation promoting evils such as abortion and same-sex unions (and the rest) we MUST criticise them. Otherwise, by our silence we effectively condone and give consent to their evil-doing.
To be clear: to say that someone is an evil-doer, is not to say that that person is “evil” – we cannot judge the heart, so we cannot say that. We can, however, say that we know they have done evil. That’s why we can justify having a police force, courts and prisons! And it goes without saying that we should pray for our secular leaders – as we should pray for all sinners! 😀
Editor
Sadly, this is typical of the error of Sola Scriptura Protestantism, the silencing of 2000 years of teaching by the successors of St. Peter and the Apostles, in whom Our Lord invested the sole authority to interpret Sacred Scripture and teach accordingly.
There are two kinds of tyranny that can manifest under lawful authorities gone bad, one is personal/social tyranny that hurts human welfare in the natural sense, e.g., high taxation, high unemployment, poor housing, etc. The other is supernatural tyranny, i.e., a suppression of man’s right and duty to worship God and the introduction of evil legislation that directly opposes the law of God and the natural order instituted by Him.
The former tyranny is tolerable as it does not directly impinge on the rights of the Church, the superior moral authority, and does not directly interfere with divine worship, which is paramount for salvation, the reason for man’s existence. The latter form of tyranny is never tolerable because it directly opposes God by suppressing divine worship and the Commandments, seeking thereby to rob man of his eternal inheritance by perverting the moral order and leading him to Hell.
In the lives of the martyrs we read of many personal /societal ills they bore patiently, offering them to God in reparation for sin. But when commanded by the same tyrannical authorities to burn incense before idols, they resolutely and publicly refused to obey at the cost of their lives.
And so it is for us today. Not only have we the right but also a duty to speak out publicly when government acts to eradicate God and Christian morality from the face of the earth. No authority on earth has the power to set itself against God and the common good of society, hence when laws are enacted that suppress divine worship and set the country on the road to moral and financial bankruptcy, silence on the part of Christians, under any pretext, is tantamount to a dereliction of Christian duty and consent to the evil being done, which is a supernatural evil.
In fine, when the divine law and the common good are at stake we are obliged to speak and act in accordance with Our Lord’s own admonition in Matthew 10: 32-33: “…Every one therefore that shall confess me before men, I will also confess him before my Father who is in heaven. But he that shall deny me before men, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven…”
How fortunate we Catholics are to have the teaching of the Church handed down to us, clarifying from Sacred Scripture what those who reject the Church’s divine authority and wisdom cannot see. It’s why Protestantism has so many different branches, all with different human interpretations of Scripture. I pray that all of these well-intentioned souls open their eyes and return to their Father’s House, from which their ancestors so tragically departed.
https://mothman777.wordpress.com/2020/04/18/worldwide-deaths-so-far-this-year-1-1-2020-4-1-2020-coronavirus-death-rate-tiny-compared-to-deliberately-maintained-and-avoidable-cancer-death-rate/
Hope it works!!
Helen,
It worked – and WOW! That needs to be spread around!
Thank you for that.
Hope nobody else has posted this!
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/uk-health-secretary-leaves-door-open-to-making-covid-19-vaccine-mandatory
Helen
Matt Hancock is pushing towards ‘certificates of immunity’ and ‘national tracking systems.’ Eventually you will not be able to get on a plane or work without proving you have been inoculated.
Above on this blog thread a podcast by Taylor Marshall called “Tracking Implants,” was downloaded, I think it’s well worth watching if you have not seen it already and especially note his comments towards the end regarding opposing the World Health Organisation and other authorities that are taking away our freedoms at this time.
I have reloaded the podcast again here as I think it’s important.
Francescomarta,
Thank you for re-posting that video – I meant to watch it last time but it got overlooked. Will make a point of viewing it later today.
A reader in England emailed the link below to an important enterprise south of the border – a legal challenge to the UK Government lockdown…
https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/lockdownlegalchallenge/
I thought I should mention that someone using the name “Athanasius” on the Church Militant website is commenting in support of CM’s sleaze campaign. For clarity, it’s not me!
I see the numbers on the petition are slowly going up, but is there no way to get more people alerted to it? I saw one for the English lockdown and it was gaining thousands of signatures. What’s wrong with the Scots? Are they really quite happy to live like this, being told by Nicola Sturgeon how to live and when and where to go etc?
Fidelis
I’ve posted the petition on Twitter and not had a single response, though I’ve heard that Twitter uses a function called “shadowbanning” that makes Tweets appear normal to the poster but are not available to other Twitter users.
I’ve also posted the link on a couple of newspaper comment pages, agani without response. The people of this country deserve all that’s coming to them, including the soup kitchen depression that will soon follow.
I don’t suppose anyone’s missed this news about Dominic Cummings, top Government adviser to Boris Johnson, but just in case, I’m posting an extract from the daily briefing, below, if you’ve missed it, you can see for yourself how, all of a sudden, the same top doctor who has been so quick to stress that we all, the hoi polloi, stick rigidly to the lockdown rules, now tells that we can use a dollop of common sense. Just in case we catch on to the fact that there’s one rule for us numpties, and another rule for the… well… ruling class. “Common sense” can be applied? That’s good to know…
I’ll remember that, as we experience extension after extension to this lockdown, or a dragged out “easing” of restrictions… In summary, who the blankety blank do these “experts” and “top advisers” think they are? For how much longer do they think we are going to allow ourselves to be played for fools? Those of us who can think for ourselves, if not the mass of the almost fully conditioned population, have no intention of allowing ourselves to be played for fools any longer… I’ve always had lots of common sense…
In addition to the above observation about Dominic (some nerve) Cummings & Co., I had a telephone call today from an old friend who, as we were drawing our chat to an end, made me laugh heartily.
I had made my by now not uncommon observation about Nicola Sturgeon and her Health Secretary, both of whom appear before the cameras every day with perfectly neat and styled hair cuts. How do they do that when all the hairdresser shops are (supposedly) closed? Surely not breaking lockdown to have house visits/treatments?
My friend jumped immediately to say that he has been saying this for a while. He pointed out that his hair is well overgrown, but he notices, not just the female politicians mentioned a moment ago, but all the journalists, male and female, who always look like they’ve just come straight out of the hairdresser’s/barber’s shop.
The men should all, he concluded, be looking like violinists by now! Touché
https://cathnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/15086965-cartoon-of-barber-cutting-hair.jpg
Editor,
Maybe all those teleprompter readers are going here for their styling:
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6qRNUsTB1Do/maxresdefault.jpg
LOL! That’s a definite possibility!
RCAVictor
I would visit Sweeney Todd for a haircut right now, I’m that desperate!
Athanasius,
LOL – I think you should drop a wee wry note to your Head Fish, asking where she gets her hair done, as you would like to patronize the same establishment….
RCAVictor
It wouldn’t do any good. I sent her the most exquisite chair for Christmas last year only to find out later that she hadn’t even sat on it, much less plug it in!
In the interests of fairness, remembering that I am 500% apolitical, I was pleasantly surprised today to see Steve Baker MP (Conservative) interviewed on Sky News about the Dominic Cummings fiasco, with Steve saying he’s objected to Cummings since the day he walked into Downing Street, and is now calling for his resignation, but I digress. The point of this post, in the interests of fairness is to report…. (drum roll) ..
That he clearly needs a haircut! He’s the first politician, male OR female, who looks like he’s not been out of the house for weeks!
Of course, Boris ALWAYS looks like he needs a haircut, but that’s different 😀
Athanasius,
That would have made a “juicy” story…..
I found a good joke about long hair – seems appropriate for this part of the thread, LOL! Read on:
I haven’t cut my hair in a long time. Initially, when it started getting a bit long, it was irritating and I doubted whether it was worth the effort. But lately it’s not been so much of a hassle anymore. Maybe long hair isn’t so bad after all… Seems like it’s growing on me.
Nicky,
Great joke!
Nicky
Very good!
I wish the petition numbers would go up more quickly – I’ve just looked and it stands at 95. In England, their petition to end the lockdown is running into the 3 – 4 thousand.
I do believe that as long as people are kept fearful about this virus and paid to stay at home, the majority will go along with it. Propaganda is a very powerful tool.
Michaela
I agree, the numbers are just not there. I have been commenting on various national newspaper platforms, highlighting the petition, which has garnered a few more signiatures. Overall, though, it reflects once again the utter inability of people in general now to do research and think for themselves, a further sign of decades of deteriorating education and the rise of the nanny state. It grieves me to say that I don’t think the petition is going anywhere. Just wait till the country goes bankrupt, though, and all the benefits dry up!
I am not sure if someone has already mentioned this, but but contained within this article is a video from STV’s Twitter of children thanking and praising Nicola Sturgeon regarding lockdown.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.express.co.uk/news/world/1286723/nicola-sturgeon-children-praising-video-removed-stv-north-korea-Kim-jong-un/amp
Miles Immaculatae,
I’ve tried several times to open that link but get a blank white screen every time.
I’m interested to read that, though, so will try to find it using the words in the link, a little later.
Miles Immaculatae,
Further to my comment of a few minutes, ago, this appeared in my inbox, courtesy of a friendly Protestant reader, rightly saying that we are living in dark times and must pray. I think this is what you were posting in that link. The comments on this twitter feed, following the video, speak volumes as the people describe as “scandalous” the use of children by the First Minister / her Government in this way…
https://twitter.com/DargaiHeights/status/1264586550215610369
Ed,
That’s the link. This is reminiscent of propaganda in authoritarian states. Flagrant political bias for a so-called independent news broadcaster. Spooky.
Miles Immaculatae,
That video is particularly disturbing given the news that North Korea backed Scottish Independence…
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1283406/nicola-sturgeon-news-scotland-independence-north-korea-kim-jong-un-spt
Think about that: both China and North Korea “trading” with the UK and Scotland, if independence is achieved.
I wonder why totalitarian regimes are so drawn to us, in these parts? Could it be that our compliant reputation had gone before us, and now we’re proving how easy we are to control? Just a thought.
I received an email criticising the Petition, from a lady – Louise – which I passed to Martin. He replied as follows:
Dear Louise,
Having just read the content of your email very carefully, two thoughts occurred to me. The first is that you haven’t read my petition objectively since you ignore the facts produced therein and continue with the propaganda. The second is that I suspect you are ideologically left-leaning, which would explain why you favour a cultural Marxist like Nicola Sturgeon while writing detrimentally of Boris Johnson and insultingly of President Trump, the first American President to donate his Presidential salary to charity and stand publicly for the life of the unborn in a world largely given over to legalised infanticide. I would have thought you of all people, valuing human life, would appreciate a man like Donald Trump in politics. Once again, though, it seems you overlook the facts in favour of Left Wing propaganda.
I readily admit that I made a mistake in my petition when I wrote that Sweden has a similar population to Scotland, I confused Sweden with Finland. Of course you’re right to say that Sweden has twice the population of Scotland, which may explain why it has more deaths than Scotland, though not quite double the figure given double the population.
In this regard, you will doubtless be aware that Professor Neil Ferguson (“Professor Lockdown”) predicted 40,000 deaths in Sweden by May 1, rising to 100,000 by June as a result of the country not locking down. Yet what do we find? We find that, relatively speaking, deaths are no more numerous in Sweden than in any locked down nation. It is also worthy of note that Sweden has a very high care home population consisting of extremely elderly people, which accounts for a substantial number of those deaths. I am not aware that the Swedish government has come to regret its decision not to lock down, nor am I aware of any plans by that government to alter course. It remains a contradiction to the locked down world.
If you care to check the statistics, you’ll find that Germany and the UK, both locked down countries, have vastly different infection/death numbers, the UK being much worse in deaths. Hence, it is far too simplistic to say that lockdown equates to lower death numbers. Indeed here in the UK the majority of deaths have occurred during lockdown.
Now, you state that people in the 30s, 40 and 50s are dying of Covid-19, yet you do not clarify that these are in the minority and usually as a result of underlying illness which any flu or respiratory virus would exploit. Your further claim that children are now being infected with a mutated form of the virus is speculative at best and just another government terror tactic at worst. There is officially-proven scientific evidence to show that Covid-19 represents [no] danger to children in any form.
Contrarily, the Swine Flu of 2009 represented a much greater threat to young people, so much so, in fact, that Professor Ferguson predicted at the time that 65,000 would die in the UK and advised the government to close all schools and churches. These didn’t close and the final death toll was just 300 with £1.24 billion wasted on vaccines that were never used.
I accept that you may personally be working in an area particularly badly hit by this novel flu virus, perhaps an area with a large elderly and/or poor health population. If so then I sympathise with what you may have experienced in a flu hotspot, but let us not pretend that this is common to all areas when 40% of NHS hospital beds are lying empty for the first time in decades.
Two of my brothers are nurses, one general and one psychiatric, they both assure me that Scottish hospitals are anything but overwhelmed with Covid-19 cases, yet cancer patients have had their life-saving treatments suspended.
In respect to ventilators, it is now becoming evident that ventilators are killing more patients than the virus. This first came to light when a young doctor on the front line in New York pleaded with authorities to stop using these devices as patients were not suffering from ARDS and the pressure of ventilators was collapsing their lungs. It has since been estimated that around 90% of Covid-19 patients put on ventilators have died as a result.
I have personal experience of ventilators from the time my young sister of 28 years developed pneumonia as a result of blood cancer treatment. The doctors told us that they were reluctant to put anyone on a ventilator as it is very difficult to get them off again. They were right, my sister died on a ventilator.
On that tragic note, since this response is beginning to get extremely lengthy, I will leave it there. Suffice it to say that if you can provide me with official information that contradicts the statistical and other evidence I have presented in my petition, then I am always willing to re-evaluate my position.
As things stand, however, bearing in mind that I was six years old in 1968 when my entire family fell ill with the Hong Kong flu, a virus that killed 80,000 in the UK, I think it unlikely that anyone will ever convince me that this present flu remotely justifies the present suppression of civil liberties and the destruction of the economy.
Since post mortems are suspended for the duration of this Covid-19 outbreak, the numbers of deaths in Scotland and the UK, already relatively low in killer pandemic terms, must be questioned. We have no idea really of how many declared Covid-19 deaths have actually resulted from other causes such as seasonal flu, heart disease, cancer, etc., since no distinction is being made.
That’s how I know this is a fake pandemic and a fake national crisis, politicised to bring about geopolitical ends and to impose a suspension of civil liberties that even Churchill didn’t dare instigate in a far more deadly situation.
I regret that you don’t see what’s happening, that the actual statistics don’t open your eyes. This is the power of propaganda when channelled through State media with the intention of terrorising a nation.
In her email to me, Louise stated that someone on the blog “made a comment to the effect that if any Chinese person dared to show face on the blog they would soon be gotten rid of. Not a very nice remark from someone who would probably regard herself as a good Catholic.”
I replied to that allegation as follows:
…I was appalled to read your claim that someone on our blog “made a comment to the effect that if any Chinese person dared to show face on the blog they would soon be gotten rid of. Not a very nice remark from someone who would probably regard herself as a good Catholic”. I have no recollection of any such remark, and on a quick check of the two most recent Coronavirus threads, I can’t find anything remotely like that, so would you kindly email me with the topic of the thread (i.e. the headline) and the precise name of the blogger and date and time of the comment. I will remove that immediately, and replace the comment with a rebuke. Thank you. For the record, though, Catholics are not encouraged to think of ourselves as “good Catholics”. We try to be faithful to Christ and His Church, but only God knows who may be “good” at any given point in time – since temptation and sin may strike at any moment, it’s unwise to think of ourselves as “good”! [message sent Monday, 25 May, at 00:01 am)
At the time of this writing, no reply has been received but I will record any reply as soon as I receive it.
There has been further exchange beween Martin (Athanssius) and Louise. Here is the bulk of Martin’s reply (it would be too much to post both emails, but his reply is obviously answering Louise’s complaints/claims)…
Dear Louise,
In respect to your response to my previous communication, I agree that we are probably not going to agree so will make just a few parting observations, if I may. Before doing so, however, I would like to make it clear that I am not driven by party politics, I am driven by my Catholic Faith and how it pertains to civil society, if it can still be called civil, and most especially the eternal salvation of my soul and the souls of as many others as I can help along the way by God’s grace.
As we both know from our experiences with death, life is extremely fragile and relatively short in terms of time. Eternity is forever and we alone decide in this life, using our God-given free will, where we will spend that eternity, in heaven or in Hell. Hence, every choice we make in this world that detracts from the Commandments of God or undermines the moral and natural order ordained by God for our material and eternal happiness, will be brought back to us at our personal judgment, including choices we made for God or for selfish ends when weighing and deciding who we vote into public office. By our vote we consent to either stand with God by selecting the most moral candidate, or we stand against God by voting for immoral candidates who simply bribe the electorate with promises of material benefits. Sadly, in our day, politics has become so corrupted that it really does come down now to who offers the bigger bribes for votes.
Given this dreadful state of affairs in every country, I really don’t know what Motivates Donald Trump in his defence of the unborn child, all I know is that it is a great good that saves the lives of babies in the womb while others like Obama, Clinton, Bush, Biden, etc., have facilitated legalised infanticide for decades. Indeed, the Democrats in the U.S. are now touting the idea in certain places that the law should be further amended to allow for the killing of babies at birth in cases of failed abortion. That’s a policy straight from Lucifer himself! I will not indulge here in the many other immoral anti-family laws these people have promoted, suffice it to say Donald Trump is the first U.S. President in many years to publicly acknowledge God, the Christian family and the sanctity of human life. His enemies can bite their tongues in rage all they like; calling him insane, a liar, a cheat or whatever, he still stands for moral good against their evil and is therefore the only choice for genuine Christians.
Closer to home, the term I used to describe Nicola Sturgeon was not “Marxist” but “Cultural Marxist”, there is a vast difference in approach between the two. Marxism in general works towards a materialistic world void of the supernatural (God, Christian morality, etc.), but the Cultural Marxist is far more subtle than the average subversive Communist in the promotion of this end.
I would suggest that when you get some time you study the methods of Antonio Gramsci, which will give you an insight into how Cultural Marxism operates. In the meantime, let me just say that, shocking as the revelation may first appear, Boris Johnson and his Lib Dem and Labour colleagues on the opposition benches are as much Cultural Marxists as Nicola Sturgeon. That they differ in secular policy issues; fiscal, social, health, etc., is immaterial, what is significant is that they are all united in excluding God from their deliberations and in imposing legislation that contradicts the divine Commandments and undermines Christian culture. It is this identical agenda in the fundamental order of faith and morality that betrays one mindset behind various deceptive party titles.
As regards Covid-19, putting aside all other statistics and declarations that show it to be a politicised virus, 40% of empty NHS hospital beds together with Professor Chris Whitty’s admission that the virus is “harmless” for the majority really answers the question of whether or not Covid-19 is a killer pandemic so dangerous that civil liberties had to be suppressed and national economies destroyed. There is something much darker driving the propaganda on this virus and the “New Normal” we will henceforth have to live with.
It amazes me that what they could never have achieved by force of arms, they have so cleverly managed by orchestrated national terror. Now begins a new era of totalitarian governance complete with 24/7 surveillance, track & trace, forced vaccinations and all manner of checks on identity and freedom just as in China, North Korea and the former Soviet Union, but all for our own good, you understand!
What is unfolding in our society today was predicted by Our Lady of Fatima in 1917 in both the Message and Secret she revealed to the three children in relation to Russian Communism and its eventual subjugation of all free nations. I will assume you know about the Fatima apparitions.
Enough said. I have expressed what I believe as clearly as I can, with solid and indisputable facts together with reading suggestions for your further enlightenment, and I suggest we leave it there.
God bless
Martin Blackshaw
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